Molded pulp packing for bottles



March 14, 1961 e. L. ROBBINS MOLDED PULP PACKING FOR BOTTLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 25, 1957 R O m E V m fieraldlfiobkins BY fiw M ATTORNEYS March 14, 1961 G. 1.. ROBBINS 2,974,788

MOLDED PULP PACKING FOR BOTTLES Filed Sept. 25, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS United States Patent MOLDED PULP PACKING FOR BOTTLES Gerald L. Robbins, East Vassalboro, Maine, asslgnorto Keyes Fibre Company, Portland, Maine, a corporation of Maine Filed Sept. 25, 1957, Ser. No. 686,247

4 Claims. (Cl. 206-65) This invention relates to packing material for fragile articles, and it particularly relates to packing material made of molded paper pulp and adapted to firmly but resiliently support lotion bottles or the like within a packing case.

The packaging material of the present invention may be briefly described as a standard sized tray which may be used with equal efiect to support either the relatively enlarged bottom ends of lotion bottles or the relatively narrow neck portions of such bottles. Since such bottles must be resiliently supported both at their upper and lower portions to prevent undue rattling and breakage within the packing case, a single, standard tray which can serve either of these functions is obviously advantageous in its economy of time, labor and expense of production; and this presents one of the primary objects and advantages of the present invention.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a packing tray which is both simple and sturdy in construction.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a tray embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation, taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1. i

Fig. 4 is a side sectional view of a packing case containing bottles supported by the trays of Figs. 1-3.

Fig. 5 is an end sectional view of the assembly of Fig. 4.

Referring now in greater detail to the figures of the drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, there is shown a tray, generally designated 10, constructed of molded paper pulp, and comprising a rectangular sheet defined by a peripheral rim 12. This rim 12 may be considered as lying in the basic plane of the sheet.

Depending from the plane of the sheet are a plurality of pockets 14, these pockets being arranged in four 1ongitudinal rows of three pockets each parallel with the major axis of the sheet and constituting three transverse columns of four pockets each parallel with the minor axis of the sheet.

Each pocket 14 is octagonal in shape and is separated from the adjacent pockets in the same row by ribs 16. These ribs 16 are positioned in the same horizontal plane as the rim 12; that is, in the basic plane of the sheet. The pockets are also separated from the adjacent pockets in each column by ribs; such ribs being indicated at 18.

The ribs 18 are much lower than the ribs 16, projecting only a little above the bottom walls of the pockets. However, each end of the ribs 18 is defined by an upwardly-inclined wall 20 which forms a square edge of a generally triangular, hollow post 22 or 24, depending on whether the post is in the center or along the edge Patented Mar. 14, 1961 ice I of the tray. The posts 22 and 24 have inclined walls and are truncated to form frusto-triangular shapes; however they extend well above the basic plane of the sheet, their upper ends being flattened in a common plane. The outer sides 26 of the posts 24 incline downwardly and outwardly to meet the rim 12; however the posts 22 are integrally connected, base-to-base, with similar posts 22 on the opposite side thereof, both posts combining to form a generally diamond shape, as best seen in Fig. 1. The diamond-shaped posts form separating barriers between adjacent ribs 16.

At each end of each column of aligned ribs 16 and posts 22, there is provided a triangular hollow post 28 which, when viewed in top plan, as in Fig. 1, corresponds to half of a combined post 2222 with the line of section taken on the major axis of the combined post. These posts 28 are truncated and flattened at their upper ends, these ends being disposed in the same plane as the upper ends of posts 22 and 24.

Provided in the center of the bottom wall of each pocket 14 is a circular hole 30. This hole is constructed of a size and shape to snugly receive the neck portion of a lotion bottle such as illustrated at 32 in Figs. 4 and 5. At the same time the pocket itself is of a size and shape to snugly receive therein the bottom portion of the bottle.

In packing the bottles 32, a tray 10 is placed at the bottom of a case 36, a layer of bottles 32 is inserted into the case with the bottoms of each of the bottles in the layer positioned in the corresponding pockets 14. A second tray 10 is then inserted over the tops of the layer of bottles in such manner that the necks of the bottles extend through the corresponding openings 30 wtih the stoppers 38 of the bottles nestled within the confines of the corresponding pockets 14.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

'What is claimed is:

1. A package comprising a packing case and a layer of bottles in said case, said layer comprising a bottom packing tray defined by a peripheral rim, a plurality of pockets in said tray, said pockets each having a bottom wall and inclined side Walls and being arranged in parallel rows and in parallel columns transverse to said rows, each of said pockets being separated from the pockets adjacent thereto by ribs and said ribs being separated from each other by hollow posts extending to a height above the height of said ribs and of said peripheral rim, and an opening in the center of the bottom Wall of each of said pockets, a bottle positioned in each of said pockets with the bottom portion of each of said bottles snugly engaged Within the corresponding pocket while the major portion of the bottle extends up wardly therefrom, and a second packing tray, substantially identical in construction to said first described packing tray, positioned at the upper portion of said layer with the neck of each of said bottles extending through the opening in a corresponding pocket.

2. The package of claim 1 wherein each bottle is provided wltl; a stopper, said stopper having its upper end positionel .n a plane substantially common with the plane of the upper ends of said posts in said second packing tray.

3. A package comprising a packing case and a layer of bottles in said case, said layer comprising a bottom packing tray defined by a peripheral rim, a plurality of pockets in said tray, said pockets each having a bottom wall and inclined side walls and being arranged in parallel rows and in parallel columns transverse to said m ma 3 rows, and an opening in the center of the bottom wall of each of said pockets, a bottle positioned in each of said pockets with the bottom portion of each of said bottles snugly engaged within the corresponding pocket whilethe major portion of the bottle extends upwardly therefrom, and a second packing tray, substantially identical in construction to said first described packing tray, positioned at the upper portion of said layer with the neck of each of said bottles extending through the opening in a corresponding pocket.

References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Stone Nov. 17, 1885 Galbraith Nov. 20, 1900 Voorborst May 22, 1917 De Reamer Oct. 1, 1940 Putnam Dec. 15, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS France May 16, 1949 1 Australia Feb. 18, 1952 

